Area of Focus: Peacebuilding and conflict prevention
The Aral Sea Basin is shared by five Central Asian Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Additionally the basin includes parts of Afghanistan and a small part of Iran. Due to lack of regional planning exacerbated by the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Aral Sea has suffered from one of the worst environmental degradations on our planet. Beyond the loss of 60 kilometers of the Aral Sea shoreline, the lack of cooperation between the upstream countries and downstream countries has resulted in lost opportunities for mutual benefit water management, mis-allocation of resources for agricultural management, lost opportunities for much needed hydro-electric development and the probability of severe water shortages affecting increasing populations.
Additionally, lack of regional planning puts citizens of several countries at risk of serious loss of life or displacement of large populations for not undertaking any risk mitigation for the eventual breach of the earthquake-created dam holding back large volumes of water in Lake Sarez.
On two occasions, The Rotary Foundation has sponsored workshops in conjunction with UNESCO-IHE and additional agencies to bring together appropriate representative professionals from the seven countries in the Aral Sea Basin to consider a framework for addressing transboundary water conflict management. We have been advised by professionals in the field that this is the first diplomacy-based workshop involving Aral Sea Basin participants. The workshops were hosted by UNESCO-IHE, the first in October of 2014 and the second in December 2016. It is anticipated that additional workshops will take place sponsored by regional or international agencies to continue to move the dialogue forward towards long term positive outcomes.
In conjunction with these efforts, an academic program has been identified whereby students from the Aral Sea Basin countries can study at the graduate level and the knowledge gained can be used to develop a diplomatic framework to address the challenging and conflicting transboundary Aral Sea Basin issues. This program, the Water Cooperation and Diplomacy Program involves the University for Peace in Costa Rica, IHE-Delft (formerly UNESCO-IHE), and Oregon State University.
The cost of the 18 month program is approximately US$60,000 with the next academic year commencing the Fall of 2018. At this time we are hoping to find funding for one student from each of the five Central Asian countries, and Afghanistan to go through the program as a cohort. Through Rotary, this can be funded by a donation of $22.500 DDF matched by Rotary totalling $45,000. We are advised the participating universities will fund the difference.
Completed
This project is "Completed". This means the project has been implemented and the report was accepted by The Rotary Foundation. The project will stay listed on this website as a testimony of the achievements of the project partners.
Project listed for the 2018-19 Rotary Year.
The TRF Grant application number is #1871282.
Proposed Financing
Existing Contributions Towards This Project
Date
Cash
DDF
Total
La Jolla Golden Triangle (5340)
28-Oct-17
$7,000
$4,000
$11,000
District 5110 DDF
2-Apr-18
-
$5,000
$5,000
Miramar (San Diego) (5340)
3-Apr-18
$8,000
$8,000
$16,000
Amount Requested from The Rotary Foundation
$7,500
$17,000
$24,500
Total
$56,500
Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.
Project Supporting Documents
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Project Photos
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Go to the administration page to upload photos.
History Log Entries
3-Sep-17
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Creation of project page.
16-Oct-17
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $4,000 with $12,000 DDF by Pam Russell of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, District 5340.
17-Oct-17
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $10,000 by Al Jubitz of the Rotary Club of Portland, District 5100.
17-Oct-17
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Project is now "Fully Pledged".
28-Oct-17
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Pledge of $4,000 with $4,000 DDF by Pam Russell of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, District 5340.
28-Oct-17
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Pledge of $4,000 with $4,000 DDF by Pam Russell of the Rotary Club of Miramar (San Diego), District 5340.
28-Oct-17
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Pledge of $4,000 with $4,000 DDF by Pam Russell of the Rotary Club of Camp Pendleton, District 5340.
9-Jan-18
by Pam Russell
We have just received a list of applicants for the scholarship! All six countries have applicants. We will now begin the process of writing up the application for the global grant.
15-Feb-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Project reverted to "Published".
15-Feb-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Project is now "Fully Pledged".
25-Mar-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $15,000 DDF by Mike Blevins of the Rotary Club of Norman, District 5770.
26-Mar-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $15,000 DDF by Mike Blevins of the Rotary Club of Norman, District 5770.
26-Mar-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $2,000 by Wayne Cusick of the Rotary Club of Blythe, District 5340.
28-Mar-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $3,000 with $3,000 DDF by Marcia Middleton of the Rotary Club of Baltimore, District 7620.
2-Apr-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Project reverted to "Published".
2-Apr-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Project is now "Fully Pledged".
2-Apr-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Pledge of $5,000 DDF by Chuck Root of the Rotary Club of Medford, District 5110.
3-Apr-18
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Project reverted to "Published".
3-Apr-18
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Pledge of $4,000 with $4,000 DDF by Steve Brown of the Rotary Club of Miramar (San Diego), District 5340.
3-Apr-18
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Pledge of $4,000 with $4,000 DDF by Steve Brown of the Rotary Club of Calexico, District 5340.
3-Apr-18
by Janice Kurth
System Entry: Project is now "Fully Pledged".
14-May-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Application Sent to The Rotary Foundation through Member Access.
12-Jun-18
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Application approved by The Rotary Foundation.
16-Aug-18
by Pam Russell
Studies will begin next week in Costa Rica.
2-Nov-18
by Pam Russell
The scholar continues to study in Costa Rica. The next phase of study begins in December in Delft.
20-Jan-19
by Pam Russell
The scholars are now in Delft continuing their studies.
24-Jan-19
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Payment has been issued by The Rotary Foundation.
2-Aug-19
by Pam Russell
The scholar has arrived at OSU and studies are under way.
17-Feb-20
by Pam Russell
Aminjon defended his thesis last week and should be returning home soon.
2-Sep-20
by Pam Russell
Aminjon is home and remaining funds are to be used for further educational opportunities.
2-Apr-21
by Pam Russell
Final report has been submitted.
16-Jul-21
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Final Report sent to The Rotary Foundation.
16-Jul-21
by Pam Russell
System Entry: Final Report approved by The Rotary Foundation.
